First Lakshya Sen, and then Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, decided they wouldn’t wait for things to happen. Fame, stardom and medals had brought on immense pressure on the established stars of the sport. Injuries had made all three circumspect.

Battling Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, India’s senior stars stood up to be counted, and led the country to its second Thomas Cup medal in five years, making the semis with a 3-0 win.

Sen was up against Chou Tien Chen, whose accurate smashing and controlled pace suffocates opponents. Till well into the second game, the Taiwanese kept Sen under the pump.

The Indian described his opponent: “You come prepared that the first game won’t be easy. In closing stages, he will up the gear. He will go for smashes, put mental pressure on you.…